Summer Nights
by oncertwice
Summary: Modern CS AU in which teenaged Emma is sent away from her life in New York City to live with family friends in a small beach town for the summer where she meets Killian Jones and spark fly.
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: This fic was written with love as a birthday present for proudblueeyesthings. Happy birthday, my dear!**

* * *

"Emma!"

Emma let out an annoyed groan when she heard her father call her name. She had been sitting behind her laptop for a few hours now, but she could hardly be blamed for that – it was the first day of summer break.

She got up from her computer and walked in the direction of her father's office, her eyes glued to her cell phone as she made her way into the room and leaned her back up against the solid mahogany door.

"Emma, honey, why don't you have a seat?"

Emma's head snapped up when she heard her mother's voice; Karen usually worked from nine in the morning to six in the evening – _what is she doing home now?_

"Mom," Emma started nervously, cocking her head to the side as she tucked her phone into the back pocket of her jean shorts, "what are you doing home? It's only three o'clock."

Karen heaved a deep breath before she motioned to the chair in front of her husband's desk. "Why don't you have a seat, sweetheart?"

"What's happening?" Emma looked back and forth between her parents as she sat down in one of the plush armchairs in her father's office.

"Listen, Princess," Jack rubbed his face tiredly before putting on his glasses, poising them on the bridge of his nose. "Your mother and I are sending you away for the summer."

Emma stared at her parents for a moment before she erupted into a fit of giggles. "Oh my god, Dad, that was a good one!" She reached into the back pocket of her shorts and pulled out her cell phone. "I just _have_ to tell the girls about this one."

She was halfway through her text message when her mother walked around the desk and took the phone from her hands. "Emma, we're serious."

Emma felt her heartbeat begin to pick up as she swallowed hard and looked at her parents. "What? Why?"

Jack sighed heavily before getting up from his seat and walking around the desk. He leaned up against it in front of Emma, crossing his arms over his chest. "Emma, you're going to be starting college in the fall. You barely do anything aside from hanging out with Ariel and Belle, and you have no concept of the world outside of New York City. I would feel like a failure as a parent if I let you leave the nest so unprepared for the real world."

"The real world, Dad?" Emma shot back, standing up from her chair and moving to stand behind it, crossing her arms to mirror her father's stance. "We live in New York! This is about as real as it gets!" She looked at her mother and quickly walked over to her, gripping her by the shoulders with a pleading look in her eye. "Mom, talk some sense into him. Don't let him do this to me!"

Karen sighed and shrugged out of Emma's grip, taking both of her daughter's hands in hers. "Emma, he's right. This will be good for you, we promise."

Emma started to breathe heavily as she ran her hands through her hair. She gripped her hair in both hands as she sat back down in the chair and closed her eyes. "This is bullshit."

"_Emma_!" Both her parents shouted her name in unison, equally displeased with her foul language.

"No, guys, it is! You're shipping me off to Nowhereland, USA for a whole summer and you expect me not to be upset?"

Her father sighed as he stood from his leaning position and put his hands on his waist. "Well, that's no excuse to—"

"She has a point, Jack." Karen put her hand on Jack's shoulder and gave it a reassuring squeeze before she walked over to Emma and knelt on the floor in front of her. "Sweetheart, I know that this is going to be hard for you, but it's only for a summer. Just do this for us, Emma. We need to know that you'll be able to survive without us when you go away to college in the fall."

Emma rolled her eyes and shook her head at her mother's words. "Where are you sending me?"

* * *

"Maine? They're kidding with that, right?" Ariel took a sip from the iced coffee she was drinking as she pushed her sunglasses off of her nose and into a resting position on the top of her head. "Emma, this is the last summer before we become official college students! You can't let them take this away from you!"

"I agree with Ariel," Belle chimed in, not even bothering to look up from her phone as she spoke to her friends, "this is a total gyp."

Emma sighed as she looked at her two closest friends. She'd known the girls ever since her family moved to New York, and she had no idea how she was supposed to survive a whole summer without them. "I'm gonna die, you guys, and I'll be nowhere near Fifth Avenue when I draw my last breath."

Both Ariel and Belle sucked in shocked gasps and Belle moved her chair closer to Emma's on the other side of the round café table. "Oh, Emma, don't talk like that! You're going to make it through this, and the second you come back, Ariel and I will take you on a shopping spree! Anywhere you want! Won't we, Ariel?"

The redhead smiled and nodded perkily before giving a quick, "Yep!"

Emma smiled weakly at her friends before reaching for her mug and taking a tentative sip of its scalding contents.

"It's June, Emma, why are you drinking hot chocolate?" Belle asked with an air of incredulity in her tone.

"Lay off, Belle," Ariel elbowed the brunette in the ribs, "you know it helps her relax, or whatever."

Emma tuned her friends out as she swiped her finger through the whipped cream on her drink and then wiped it off on her tongue.

This was going to be the longest summer _ever_.

* * *

Karen approached Emma's bedroom door and gave a tentative knock on it. She waited for Emma to answer before she opened the door but remained at the threshold, leaned up against the doorjamb. "You're going to have a great time with Ruby, Emma. Remember how well you two got along when you were kids?"

Emma had grown up with Ruby back when she and her parents live in Portland, Maine. After her father had gotten his current job as a stockbroker, her family moved on to a new life in New York City, and she'd never seen Ruby again. A few months after her family had settled into the city, Emma received a few letters from Ruby, but she never thought to reply to them, since, by then, she'd already made new friends.

"Seriously, Mom?" Emma shook her head as she began to place her folded clothes into her suitcase. She only had a few days left to pack before she had to leave. "I last saw her, what, eight? _Ten_ years ago? We have nothing in common anymore, and I wouldn't be surprised if I just spend the whole summer sitting in my room."

"You'll probably be sharing a room with Ruby."

"Well, doesn't this whole thing just keep getting better and better?" Emma remarked with a sarcastic laugh as she flopped the top of her suitcase down and attempted to zip it closed.

Karen walked into the room and nudged Emma's hip with her own, indicating to her daughter that she wanted to help. "Why don't you sit on it like you used to when you were little?"

Emma couldn't fight back a smile at her mother's suggestion as she climbed up onto her suitcase and sat on it, crossing her legs Indian style beneath her. "This whole arrangement is totes unfair, Mom."

"Emma, you have- to un- derstand," Karen grunted as she tugged at the zippers on the large suitcase, using her body weight to pull it along, "gimme a sec. Lemme just- close this first." She sighed and blew her bangs out of her face after she sealed the luggage. "You have to understand why we're doing this. We want to know that you'll be able to survive without us when you go to college next year. It's nothing personal."

Emma hopped down from the now-closed suitcase and wrapped her arms around her mother's waist. She bit her lip as she tried her best to keep tears from falling from her eyes. "But I'm gonna miss you so much, Mom."

Karen smiled weakly as she hugged Emma back, stroking the back of her hair as she gave the girl a kiss on top of her head. "I know, baby. I'll miss you, too."


	2. Chapter 2

It was finally time for Emma to go. When she woke up, she lied in her bed until her mother came into her bedroom to get her out of bed.

"Emma," Karen started, her voice sounding almost sad, "it's time to get up."

Emma silently pulled the covers up and over her head, hoping that if she went back to sleep this whole problem would go away on its own.

With a sigh, Karen pulled back the blankets and got into the bed behind Emma, placing a light kiss on the back of her daughter's head as she hugged her from behind. "Oh, honey, don't be like this. You'll be back home by the middle of August. You won't miss that much while you're gone."

Emma turned around in the bed and hugged her mother. She wasn't going to speak, as she was still upset with her parents' decision to send her away, but she still wanted her mother to know how much she would be missed.

They laid in silence for a few more moments before Karen sighed and got up from the bed, pulling Emma up with her. "Come on, Emma, go shower and I'll get your dad to make his world-famous pancakes for you."

Emma begrudgingly allowed her mother to push her into the bathroom that was connected to her room. Once she was inside and alone, she leaned up against the door and slid down to the floor, already eager to get the summer over with.

-/-

After her shower, Emma brushed her hair into a ponytail and got dressed, opting for a grey tee shirt and jean shorts, deciding to pair the outfit with her favorite black high-top sneakers.

When she walked into the kitchen to greet her parents, her father was stacking her pancakes into a tall pile on a plate. Jack smiled at Emma warmly as he set the plate down on the island. "Morning, Princess." He offered tentatively as he grabbed a fork from a nearby drawer and handed it to her.

Emma pasted a smile on her face as she took the fork from her father's hand and sat on one of the tall stools behind the counter. "Morning, Dad."

The next few moments passed in a semi-awkward silence as Emma pretended to eat her pancakes. She wasn't really hungry, but she knew that if she didn't eat, her parents would try to force her to _talk about her feelings _ or maybe try to give her some other excuses as to why this trip would be _good for her_.

Yeah, right.

She finished what she could of her breakfast before walking over to the sink and placing her plate down gently. She turned back to face her parents and crossed her arms over her chest looking back and forth between them expectantly. "So, I guess it's time to go?"

-/-

On the way to the airport, Jack stopped and picked up both Ariel and Belle so that they would be able to send Emma off with a proper goodbye.

"Oh my god, Em," Ariel whined as they rode along, "I'm gonna miss you so much!"

"Same here," Belle chimed in, squeezing Emma's hand reassuringly while giving her an almost-maternal smile and nod.

"Thanks, guys," Emma sighed as she put an arm around the shoulders of each of her friends, hugging them as she tried not to get too emotional. "I'm gonna go crazy without you."

"Alright, baby," Karen's voice broke through Emma's thoughts as they pulled up to the airport, "it's time to say our goodbyes."

Emma nodded as she put on a brave face and got out of the car behind Belle. The five of them stood on the sidewalk outside of the airport for a few moments, looking back and forth at each other as Emma tried to build the courage to turn and walk away.

Jack stepped up to her and wrapped his arms around her, holding her close as she buried her face in his chest. "Try to have fun, Emma."

She nodded when he let her go and turned to her mother, throwing her arms around Karen's neck and hugging her as tightly as she could.

Karen hugged Emma by the waist and whispered a soft, "You'll be alright, baby" into her daughter's hair. When they parted, Karen brushed a lock of Emma's hair back over her shoulder as she stepped away.

Next Ariel jumped into Emma's arms and hugged her as Belle came up to the pair and hugged them both at the same time. "This summer's gonna be hell without you, Em." Ariel promised as she and Belle both stepped back, giving Emma enough room to grab her suitcase and extend the handle.

As she turned to walk into the airport, her father called her back. "Oh! Emma, one more thing."

Emma turned to face Jack with a puzzled expression furrowing her brow. "What is it now, Dad?"

Jack smiled slightly at the impatient tone in his daughter's voice. He was certain that was a trait she'd earned from him. "I'm gonna need your cell phone."

Emma's eyes widened as her jaw dropped in shock. "You can't be serious!"

Jack shrugged as if to apologize as he held his hand out, waiting for Emma to hand over her cell.

She gave a loud groan as she reached into the pocket of her shorts and pulled out her phone. She held it tightly in her hand and gave it a quick kiss with a whispered, "I love you," before placing it in Jack's open and waiting hand.

"Why do you hate me, Dad?"

He laughed at that and hugged her again, resting his chin on her forehead. "I want you to get the most out of this, Princess. Not sit in your room texting Belle and Ariel all day. It's for the best, trust me."

She wrapped her arms around her father and hugged him one last time. She knew that he was right, but she was not about to admit it.

After a few more rounds of hugs and goodbyes, Emma pried herself away from her parents and friends so that she could make her gate on time. As she walked through security and the various other pratfalls of air travel, she couldn't help but wonder what would be awaiting her when she got to Portland.

-/-

When she finally landed in Maine, Emma was nervous about the summer that lay ahead of her. _Would she fit in here? Would she make any friends? What do people even do for fun in Maine?_

After she left baggage claim with her admittedly over-packed suitcase, she wheeled it behind her as she looked around for any signs of her host for the summer.

She had only taken a few steps when she heard her name called from someplace behind her.

"Emma? Emma Swan, over here!"

She turned slowly to see a tall brunette it cut-off jean shorts running toward her. She recognized her as Ruby, even though they hadn't seen each other in years. She really didn't look all that different, aside from the obvious difference in height.

Ruby stopped in front of Emma and looked her over for a few moments before she threw her arms around the blonde and hugged her tightly. "Emma, I can't believe it's really you!"

Emma didn't respond to Ruby's hug, she only stood frozen as the brunette held her tightly. "Well, it is."

Ruby released Emma and reached for her suitcase, pulling to along behind her as Emma crossed her arms over her chest and followed behind.

"Granny should be over here somewhere. I _just _left her – oh! There she is! We're over here, Granny!"

Emma followed Ruby's line of sight to find her grandmother – a somewhat portly older woman – walking over to them with a stern look on her face. When she came to where the girls stood, she stopped and looked Emma over with a scrutinizing furrow of her brow. "Emma. You haven't changed a bit." She turned away from the girls and motioned for them to follow her. "Let's go. Car's over here somewhere."

Emma walked behind her hosts as they came up to an old-fashioned station wagon with classic paneling on its sides. Ruby walked up to the trunk and hoisted Emma's suitcase into it before closing it and opening one of the doors.

She smiled widely at Emma and nodded her head in the direction of the open door. "After you, Emma."

Emma nodded in response and got into the back seat of the car as Ruby scooted in behind her, closing the door and rattling the frame of the car as she did so.

"Your flight came in at a perfect time, Emma," Granny spoke as she drove out of the airport parking lot. "The ferry leaves in about fifteen minutes. I think we should get down to the docks just in time."

Emma furrowed her brow at Granny's statement. "I'm sorry, _ferry_? Are we leaving Portland?"

"Oh, I guess your parents didn't tell you," Ruby started as she casually watched the scenery passing by her window, "we moved away from Portland maybe like… seven years ago. We live on Long Island now."

"Long Island?" Emma repeated incredulously, "_Maine_ has a Long Island?"

Ruby burst into a fit of giggles as she tossed her heard back. "Oh, that's so funny! You left one Long Island to come and live on another."

Granny's chuckling could be heard from the front seat as they approached the docks and parked the station wagon in one of the available spots. "Alright girls, time to rock and roll." Granny got out of the car with Ruby and Emma following closely behind her. "It's 1:07. We made perfect time." Granny commented mostly to herself as she walked down the docks to board the waiting ferry.

"Wait up, Granny!" Ruby shouted as she helped Emma get her suitcase from the trunk of the car.

As Emma followed behind with her luggage in tow she caught up to Ruby and looked over at her, a confused expression on her face. "You're just going to leave the car here? What if you need to go to the store, or something?"

"Huh?" Ruby asked, not really needing any explanation as she took a moment to think. "Oh! Well, there are really only four actual businesses on the island. If we want to go to the store, or do any real shopping, we take the ferry to Portland and do it there."

Emma's jaw dropped at this totally new and bizarre information. "Okay, so what do you even do on this island?"

Ruby shrugged as she stopped walking, motioning for Emma to step onto the ferry first. Once Emma hopped onto the watercraft, Ruby followed behind. "Well, I hang out with my friends and we go to the beach, or we bake or watch movies or we sometimes have bonfires – oh, you would just _love_ that! Or we could play volleyball, or maybe even some badminton or—"

"Okay," Emma interrupted Ruby, causing the brunette to look at her with an almost-hurt look of confusion. "I'm gonna stop you right there. I am only here for the summer. I have very little interest in getting to know your friends, your neighbors, or anyone else you might have even an idea of introducing me to. The only people in this awful backwater town that I need to know are you and your grandmother. And even that's testing my patience. So, I vote that from here on out, you do your own thing, and I will stay out of your way. Deal?"

Ruby frowned and nodded once before giving Emma a simple "Deal," in response.

The rest of the ferry ride passed uneventfully and the ladies arrived at Granny's house within the next twenty minutes.

Granny walked Emma up the stairs and showed her the room that she and Ruby would be sharing. "That's your bed," Granny said dryly as she pointed to a twin-sized set on the far side of the room. "I thought you might like to have a view of the ocean."

Emma sighed as she walked over to the bed and set her luggage down on it. "Thank you, Mrs. Lucas."

Granny furrowed her brow and shook her head at Emma. "Oh, no. While you're here you will call me Granny. I insist."

Emma nodded at the old woman and gave a half smile. "Thanks, Granny."

Granny mirrored Emma's expression before she turned to go, leaving Emma alone with her thoughts.


	3. Chapter 3

Emma sat on her bed and stared out of the window at the ocean. It really was a worthwhile view.

As she stared out the window, she couldn't help but wonder what her parents and friends were up to. She wondered if they missed her yet, as she was already dying without them, and it have only been about a week and a half since she'd left.

With a sigh she got up from her bed and went downstairs to find Ruby sitting at the kitchen table, her nose buried in the pages of a book. Emma stopped in the doorway to the kitchen and knocked on the frame, as if she were knocking on a bedroom door.

Ruby looked up at her for a second before turning back to her book and speaking to Emma in an unimpressed tone. "Can I help you?"

Emma cringed at the unfeeling edge to Ruby's voice and walked into the kitchen, sitting across the table from the brunette. Emma looked at her for a moment, waiting for her to look up from her book. When she didn't, Emma sighed and began to speak.

"Look, Ruby, I was a total bitch on the ferry. I know that."

At Emma's confession, Ruby closed her book and folded her arms as she looked at Emma expectantly.

Emma was glad that she'd broken through Ruby's cold façade and was able to talk to her. She decided to lay it all on the line. "It wasn't called for, and I shouldn't have said any of it, but you have to understand that I – I don't belong here. I didn't ask to be forced away from my life for a summer. I guess I just need some time to get used to living here, and that would be a lot easier if I had you as an ally."

When Emma finished speaking a smile crept onto Ruby's lips. "Come on, Emma. You know that I could never stay mad at you."

Emma nodded and was about to get up from the table when Ruby spoke to her. "Did you need something? I can't imagine you came all the way down here just to apologize."

Emma almost laughed at that, but straightened up as she turned back to the table to face Ruby. "Um, I was actually going to ask you if any of those four businesses in town might have stationery. I was hoping to write some letters to my mom and my friends."

Ruby smiled almost wistfully as she got up from the table and walked around it. She smiled at Emma and squeezed her shoulder. "You miss them that much already?"

Emma nodded as Ruby led them out of the front door and into the blazing sun. They both held their hands over their eyes as they walked along, waiting for their eyes to adjust to the drastic change in lighting.

"What's your life in New York like?" Ruby asked, hoping to ease some of the awkward silence that had settled over them.

"It's alright." Emma started, not really knowing what to say, but deciding to make an effort, since she'd be here all summer. "To be honest, it's kind of nice to be out of the city. I don't miss it. What – or _who_ I miss is my mom. She and I are really close."

Ruby nodded as she listened to what Emma was saying. "Yeah, I remember you two having a tight bond. Back when we were friends."

They finished the rest of their walk in a comfortable silence until they reached the craft store and Ruby walked in first, smiling at the red-haired man behind the counter.

"Hi, Archie!" Ruby greeted the man jovially and he waved his greeting in return.

"Ruby, how nice to see you. What's it been, three, four days?"

Emma looked at Ruby with a puzzled expression. "Do you come here a lot?"

Ruby blushed minimally and smiled nervously. "There's not a lot to do in this town, okay?"

Emma chuckled at that as Ruby motioned toward her. "Archie, this is my friend, Emma Swan. She'll be staying with Granny and me for the summer."

"Ah, well, it's lovely to meet you, Emma. My name is Archie Hopper." Archie smiled warmly as he extended his hand to Emma who shook it daintily. "I hope you have a grand time in our neck of the woods."

"Thank you, Mr. Hopper." Emma nodded and smiled politely.

"Please, call me Archie. Any friend of Ruby's is a friend of mine." He nodded as if to punctuate his statement and was about to walk away when Ruby called him back.

"Actually, Archie, we came to ask if you have any stationery."

Archie furrowed his brow as he took a moment to ponder his answer to the question. "Um, stationery… if I have it, it would be in the back next to the Make Your Own Basket display."

Ruby nodded and thanked Archie for his help before trudging off to the back of the store with Emma following closely behind her. Ruby got there first, of course, and had already found a stationery set by the time Emma caught up with her.

"Here's one! You're in luck, I think it's the last one he's got!"

Emma took the dusty box from Ruby's hand and blew on it to see what she was actually holding. It wasn't really a stationery set, so much as it was a pack of fifty postcards. It wasn't at all what she wanted, but Emma figured that however old it was, it was going to have to do.

The girls walked back to the front of the store and paid for Emma's postcards. The walk back to Granny's house was as uneventful as the walk to the store, and as the girls approached the house, Emma could hear the faint buzz of a lawn mower.

The closer they got to the house the clearer the sound was and Emma could see that there was a boy in Granny's front yard, pushing the mower. When Emma got a look at the boy's face she felt her breath catch in her throat as she struggled to keep her knees from turning to jelly.

He was gorgeous – easily the most attractive boy she'd ever seen, and she was suddenly flooded with thoughts and feelings that were not necessarily appropriate for a first-time meeting.

As she and Ruby walked up the front porch steps, Emma couldn't take her eyes off of the boy mowing the lawn, and tapped Ruby on her shoulder. "Who is that?" Emma asked as the girls sat down on the porch swing.

Ruby giggled and shook her head at Emma's obvious staring. "That, my friend, is Killian Jones. He's been our neighbor for the past few years. His dad is a retired lawyer or something. They moved here from Vermont, but they're originally from somewhere in the UK."

Emma crossed her legs as she watched Killian work, his brow soaked with sweat as he moved under the glaring summer sun. He turned his head to look at her, and when he did, he raised an eyebrow and then winked, nearly causing Emma's jaw to drop. And it would have, if she hadn't caught herself.

"Looks like he noticed you," Ruby whispered and Emma rolled her eyes, not wanting to let on how much this guy was affecting her. "It's getting hot," Ruby sighed as she fanned herself in vain, "I'm gonna go inside now. Enjoy the show." She laughed again as she got up from the swing and went into the house, the screen door smacking shut behind her.

Once Ruby had gone, Emma leaned forward in the swing, watching Killian intently as he would walk from one side of the lawn to the other, turn back and then repeat. He was watching her too, throwing sly glances and cocky smiles her way.

Emma bit her lip when he stopped mowing to take off his tee shirt, throwing it off to the side as he gave her a devilish grin. Emma clenched her legs together in an attempt to relieve some of the pressure she was beginning to feel in the pit of her stomach. He could tease her all he wanted, but she knew one thing: she was going to have him.

She was brought back to reality when she noticed that the mower was no longer in use. She looked over to Killian and saw him pushing the mower over to a shed that was off to the side. Emma bit her lip as she concocted a devious plan.

Now was the time to make her move.

She walked up to the shed after Killian had gone inside and closed the door behind her. It was dark, but there were fragments of sunlight shining in through various cracks in the old wood.

They sized each other up as their eyes adjusted to the lack of sunlight and when Emma could finally see his face clearly she decided to introduce herself.

"Hi, I'm Emma."

She heard him chuckle softly as he took a few small steps toward her. "Hi, Emma, my name is Killian." He reached for her hand and kissed it softly, causing a wave of shivers to roll down her spine. "It's a pleasure to—"

Deciding that she'd heard enough, Emma crashed her lips onto his, walking him backward until his back hit one of the walls of the shed with a thud. She moaned against his lips when his arms came around her and one of his hands dropped down to her ass where he gave her a firm squeeze.

When she broke away to lay wet, open-mouthed kisses to his neck and chest, reveling in the salty taste of his skin, he gave a pleased groan as he chuckled to himself. "I must say, lass, this is _quite _the first impression you're making."

"Do you always talk this much?" Emma asked him as she came back up to his lips and claimed them with her own as he fumbled with the hem of her shirt.

"Only when I find no reason to keep silent." He retorted as his lips found her neck, sucking hard and driving a broken moan from her throat.

"Well, maybe I can give you some inspiration," she teased him as she dropped to her knees and immediately opened the fly on his ripped jeans.

"What are you—" Killian cut off on a low grunt when Emma freed him from his boxers and stroked him with her hand before licking a stripe from the base of his cock up the underside, to the tip where she swirled her tongue around it before taking him into her mouth.

"Bloody hell," he sighed and she had to fight the urge to chuckle when his hand fell down to her ponytail and he grabbed it in his fist, using it to guide her movements as her mouth worked its magic on him. "Oh, Emma that feels amazing," he praised her as he began to shallowly thrust his hips into her face, trying to be careful not to choke her.

She pulled off of him so that she could pull in a few breaths and stroked him with her hand as she looked up at him. "You like that, huh?" She teased him with a giggle as she went back to work, bobbing her head up and down along his length as he tried to remind himself that they could be heard or caught if Ruby or Granny decided to come outside.

"I'm not complaining, love," he started, his breath coming and leaving in short bursts, "but you may want to speed this up. I'd hate to be fired for fraternizing on the job."

Emma had honestly forgotten where she was in the few minutes that they'd been tucked away, but she doubled her efforts, stroking his cock as she sucked the tip hard, trying to milk his orgasm from him before anyone decided to come look for them.

"Ah, fuck, Emma." Killian groaned as his orgasm hit him and he shot his release into her eager mouth.

Emma moaned as she continued to stroke his cock, making sure to catch all of his seed before swallowing and tucking him back into his pants. She stood and dusted herself off before exiting the shed as if nothing had happened.

She was almost inside when Killian came bounding out after her, only stopping to grab his shirt and put it back on. "Hey, Swan!"

Emma turned around and looked at him, one eyebrow raised. "Yeah?"

He caught up with her on the porch and cocked his head to the side. "That's it? No see you later? No nice to meet you?"

She laughed at that and shook her head. "See you around, kid."

Killian grabbed her arm as she was about to leave again and looked at her skeptically. "When can I see you again? I don't know anything about you."

"And who says that that's a bad thing?" She didn't wait for an answer from him as she grabbed her postcards from the porch swing and walked past him and into the house.

Once she got into her bedroom, she sat down at Ruby's desk and pulled out a postcard, deciding to write the first one to her mother:

_Hey, Mom,_

_Just wanted to let you know how much I already miss you and Dad. Also – I have only been here for two hours and I have already met a boy. I don't know anything about him, but I can tell that he's going to be trouble._

_Love, Emma_


	4. Chapter 4

Emma bounded down the stairs and ran into the kitchen where she found Granny sitting at the table, looking at the day's mail.

"Granny, is there anything for me?"

The older woman sorted through the pile as Ruby walked up behind Emma. "Didn't you get your mom's reply a few days ago?"

Emma nodded as she walked further into the kitchen and stood beside Granny. "Yes, but I also wrote postcards to my friends, and I haven't gotten anything back from them yet." After she'd written the first card for her mother, Emma wrote both Belle and Ariel, telling them how much she already missed them and urged them to write back, so that she'd not lose touch with them over the summer.

"Nope, sorry, Darlin'," Granny sighed as she looked over the last envelope. "There's nothing in here for you."

The hopeful anticipation that was on Emma's face fell away as she nodded and thanked Granny before going outside and sitting down on the porch swing. She was sitting alone for a few moments before Ruby came out and sat next to her.

"Are you okay?" Ruby asked, looking at Emma with concern in her eyes.

"No, not really," Emma admitted, trying her best not to start crying. "I just don't know why they wouldn't write me back. They should have responded by now; I sent their cards, like, a week ago." She let her head hang downward as a single tear rolled down her cheek. "They're supposed to be my best friends. Have they already replaced me? Was it that easy?"

Ruby sighed and patted Emma on the knee. "I know how you feel, Emma. It sucks when this kind of stuff happens."

"You do?" Emma asked as she wiped at the tear that had fallen from her eye.

"Yup." Ruby nodded as she went on, "When you first moved to New York, I wrote you three letters. One the week after you left, and then another maybe a month later, and then a third a few months after that. You never responded to any of them."

Emma's face fell when she heard the dejected tone in Ruby's voice. "Oh, Ruby, I—"

"No, Emma, it's okay. You moved away and started a new life. I figured that I wouldn't fit in with your fancy New York lifestyle, but I thought I would at least try. You were my best friend, after all."

"Wow, Ruby, I feel like such a bitch."

"Well, you are," Ruby laughed, causing Emma to laugh with her, "but I forgive you. We were only eight. It was so long ago. But I never forgot about you."

In that moment, Emma felt the urge to do something that she hadn't even thought about since arriving in Maine. She leaned across the swing and hugged Ruby tightly. "I'm sorry, Ruby. Sorry for never writing you back, I'm sorry for being such an unbearable twat, and I'm sorry for spending the past week fixated on my life at home, when you and Granny have been trying so hard to make me feel welcome."

Ruby hugged Emma back as she accepted her apology. "Don't worry about it, Emma. We have the whole summer to make up for lost time."

Emma released Ruby and smiled at her as she wiped away the last of her tears. "You're right. We do."

* * *

"Alright," Emma sighed as she walked out of the adjoining bathroom in the room that she and Ruby shared, "what about this outfit?"

"Hmmm, I don't know…" Ruby thought aloud as she walked around Emma in a circle sizing her up and looking her up and down.

Ruby invited Emma to come out to a bonfire on the beach with her, and Emma decided that she ought to at least make an effort in trying to get to know Ruby's friends since she was going to be living here for a while.

"Why don't I just wear some jeans, Ruby?"

"That's perfect!" Ruby exclaimed, her eyes going wide as she clapped her hands excitedly. "Why didn't I think of that?" She shrugged and walked over to her closet, pulling down a light pair of ripped jeans. "Here, you can borrow these."

Emma nodded her thanks and went into the bathroom to try on the pants. She wondered what the night had in store for her and Ruby, and most of all, she hoped that she could find a way to have fun.

When she emerged from the bathroom again, she had an unsure look on her face.

"What's the matter, Emma?" Ruby asked as she continued to rummage through her closet. "Are you feeling okay?"

"Yeah," Emma answered absently as she sat down on her bed, "I guess I'm just a little nervous about meeting your friends."

Ruby smiled at that and sat down on the bed next to Emma. "Don't be! They're all really cool, I promise."

Emma nodded and tucked her bangs behind her ear. "What were their names again?"

"There's Mary Margaret – she's a total sweetheart, you'll love her right away, I guarantee it. Then there's David, he's Mary Margaret's boyfriend, and he tells the funniest jokes I've ever heard."

As Ruby continued to speak, Emma got up from the bed and started to rummage through her suitcase, deciding that maybe jeans weren't the best thing to wear after all. She took off the pants and settled for a loose-fitting maxi skirt. She hopped into the skirt as Ruby went on.

"There's also Victor. He and I kind of have a thing, I guess." Ruby stopped talking as a blush started to creep up her neck.

"A thing?" Emma asked, a glimmer of mischief in her eye, "Ruby, is he your boyfriend?"

Ruby smiled widely, her cheeks burning red as she shook her head. "No, not really. But we have both liked each other for a long time. So maybe tonight's the night for us."

Emma nodded and squeezed her friend's hand, "I hope it is. Is that everyone that's gonna be there?"

Ruby seemed to be thinking over Emma's question, and nodded before answering. "Yup, I think s—oh wait! The boy that was mowing the lawn the other day, Killian. He'll be there, too."

Emma felt her heart leap at the mention of his name. "Oh, th-that's cool," she laughed nervously when she noticed Ruby looking at her skeptically.

"Hey wait a minute," Ruby said as she narrowed her eyes at Emma, "why are you so nervous?"

Emma shook her head at Ruby's question, although she was certain that she was about as transparent as they come. "No reason, really. I'm just hoping that I make a good first impression, that's all."

"Hmmm." Ruby seemed to be thinking over Emma's words, but didn't say anything further, just walked back over to her closet and continued to rifle through the clothing there. "Whatever you say, Em."

Emma relaxed when she noticed that Ruby was deciding to let the moment pass. "Don't worry, Ruby. Everything's cool."

* * *

When Emma and Ruby got to the beach, the fire was already going, and Ruby's friends were seated around it in a circle.

As the girls approached the group, they all turned to look at the pair.

"Hey guys," Ruby greeted them with a wave as they all gave a chorus of 'hello's' in response.

A brunette with a pixie cut came running up to Ruby and all but jumped into her arms as she greeted her jovially. "Hi, Ruby!" The girl chirped happily as Ruby hugged her back.

The girl then released Ruby and looked to Emma with an inviting smile. "I'm Mary Margaret Blanchard. It's nice to finally meet you, Emma. Ruby's told us so much about you."

Emma looked back and forth between the two girls in front of her. "She has? Only good things, I hope?"

Mary Margaret giggled adorably and hugged Emma. "Don't worry. We've all been looking forward to meeting you. Come on, I'll introduce you to the guys."

The petite brunette grabbed Emma by the hand and dragged her over the beach to where the rest of the group was still seated by the fire.

Mary Margaret released Emma's hand put her arm around her shoulder as she cleared her throat to get the attention of the guys sitting around the bonfire. "Boys, this is Ruby's friend Emma. Say hello."

Emma smiled as they all did as Mary Margaret asked. She was a little bit embarrassed to be under the spotlight like this, but it was better than the alternative, which was to not be included at all.

Mary Margaret pointed to a muscular blond with blue eyes and an eye-catching smile. "That's David. He's my boyfriend."

David got up from where he was seated and walked over to Emma, his hand extended in greeting. "Hi, Emma. It's good to have you here."

She smiled and nodded at him before replying, "Thank you, David."

"Alright," Mary Margaret chimed in, "next up is Victor. He's a total nerd, but he's worth getting to know."

"Oh, ha-ha," Victor scoffed at Mary Margaret's scathing assessment of him. "Very funny, sweetheart." He turned his attention to Emma and smiled at her. "It's nice to meet you, Emma."

Emma smiled at the banter between the two friends before she shook Victor's hand. "Thanks."

"And lastly, we have the troublemaker," Mary Margaret said as she walked Emma over to the last person around the fire, Killian.

"Oi," he began his protest as he got up from his seat, dusting the sand off of his jeans, "I don't appreciate being branded in such a slanderous manner."

"Oh please," Mary Margaret rolled her eyes and stifled a laugh at Killian's apparent sensitivity. "Introduce yourself to our new friend," she grumbled as she walked away and took a seat on the sand next to David.

Once they were alone, Killian took Emma's hand in one of his and brought it to his lips, brushing a light kiss over her knuckles as his eyes stayed glued to hers. He leaned in just a bit closer and said, "While I'm not sure introductions are quite necessary at this stage in the game, it is lovely to see you again, Swan."

Emma tried not to blush at the way Killian's eyes were boring straight through her. "Yeah, same." She responded, trying her best to sound aloof as she walked away from Killian and took a seat on the sand next to Ruby.

The next few hours passed with lots of laughter and storytelling and enjoyment of one another as Emma began to settle into her new social life. She could honestly say that she was having a great time getting to know all of Ruby's friends. She was beginning to see why Ruby thought so highly of them; they were all genuinely wonderful people.

At certain moments, she would look over at Killian. The orange glow of the firelight cast shadows over his face, which somehow served to accentuate the line of his jaw, and she was honestly have trouble looking away. That was, until he looked up and caught her staring. He smiled slyly and gave her a wink, which caused her to look away immediately as she tried to stop herself from smiling

_What an ass._

A few minutes later, Killian got up from where he was seated and started to walk down the beach, and every head turned to watch him as he went. Emma leaned in closer to Ruby and dropped her voice down to a whisper. "Where's he off to?"

Ruby followed Emma's line of sight just in time to see Killian walk off behind a rock formation. She shrugged before turning back to Emma. "I have no idea."

Emma waited for a few moments before she got up from her seat. "Well, I'm gonna find out."

She walked the same path Killian had taken, following his footsteps in the sand until she went around the same curve he did. As soon as she turned the corner, she felt two strong arms grab her from behind and her body was suddenly held in a tight and firm embrace.

She heard Killian chuckle, or rather she felt the laughter rumbling in his chest as he brought his nose down to the back of her neck and nuzzled her tenderly.

"I was wondering how long it was going to take for you to follow me."

Emma sighed and struggled out of Killian's hold. Once she was free, she turned to face him and folded her arms across her chest. "Are you telling me that you were just trying to get my attention?"

Killian smiled wide and nodded boyishly. "Yes, and it clearly worked." He took a few steps closer to her and put his hands on her waist. "Now, the reason I wanted to get you alone was to ask if you'd like to go on a date with me."

Placing her hands on his chest, Emma pushed him away with a shake of her head. "No, that's not a good idea."

Killian let her push him away and looked back at her with a curious furrow in his brow. "Why is that?"

"I'm only here for a summer, okay?" Emma defended herself as she tucked a few loose hairs behind her ear. "I'm not looking to get attached to anyone or anything in this town. It wouldn't end well."

"I suppose I can't argue with your logic," Killian thought aloud as he stared down at the sand. He looked up at her a devilish glint in his eye as he walked over to her.

Emma started to back away from Killian, but found herself pressed up against the tall rocks that were obscuring them from the rest of their party. "What are you doing?" She asked nervously, her hands clenched into fists and ready to attack if need be.

Killian chuckled at her apparent fright and picked up one of her fists, placing a tender kiss on it before walking even closer to her. He didn't stop until his body was pressed against hers and their noses were almost touching. "Well," he started as he looked Emma in the eye, only breaking eye contact to let his eyes dart down to her lips, "I thought that you could at least let me return the favor for our last, um… _encounter_."

Emma bit her lip against a smile and was about to give her rebuttal when Killian kissed her, wrapping his arms around her waist as he stole the breath from her lungs. She responded in kind and cradled his face with her hands as she deepened the kiss, opening her mouth to his probing tongue.

One of Killian's hands crept over to the waistband of her skirt, slipping under it and into her panties where he found her already beginning to react to his attention. He smiled against her lips when he ran his finger through her folds, making her moan as he circled her clit.

He broke the kiss and shook his head at her, a smug grin on his lips. "Now, Swan, you don't want anyone to come looking for us, do you? Keep quiet."

Emma nodded as Killian resumed his work, drawing her wetness up to her clit and drawing insistent circles over it. She had to bite her lip to keep from crying out when he slipped a finger into her and massaged her walls, coaxing her closer to climax.

After a few moments, he stopped and dropped down to his knees. He gathered Emma's skirt in his hands and bunched it up to her waist as he urged her to lean backward against the rocks.

Emma did as he prompted her and spread her knees so that he could position himself between her legs. He winked up at her before he held her panties to the side with one hand and lowered his mouth to her dripping sex, licking a solid line through her folds before sucking her clit into his mouth.

"Oh, fuck," Emma whispered as he threw her head back, grinding her hips into his face as he slipped two fingers into her. He continued to work her over as her movements began to lose their rhythm, telling him that she was getting closer to her peak.

He began to move his fingers just a little faster and flicked his tongue over her clit, causing her to shoot over the edge. She clapped a hand over her mouth to keep from moaning loudly as he sucked and licked her to help her ride out the waves of her climax.

Once her breathing returned to normal, she pulled him up to his feet and kissed him soundly. She then leaned her forehead against his and looked him in the eye before saying, "I guess we're even now." She adjusted her skirt and took only a few steps before he called after her.

"Wait, Emma, when can I see you again?"

Emma groaned loudly before running a hand through her hair. "Killian, I told you. I don't want to date you. This was fun, but that's all this could ever be."

"Maybe I'm okay with that," he offered as he walked up to her and took her hand in his. "I just need to see you."

Emma searched his eyes for any uncertainty, but came up empty. "Fine," she sighed exaggeratedly, "I'll tell Ruby that I want to go home early. You find some other reason to ditch the group."

She turned to walk away from him, but quickly turned back, "Don't follow me, wait five minutes. Say you wanted some fresh air or something. Just don't make it obvious."

Killian grinned widely at her before nodding in agreement. "And then what?"

Emma sighed as she thought for a moment on her next move. "Then, meet me at Granny's house."

* * *

After leaving the beach – she'd given some flakey excuse about still needing time to adjust to life in Maine – and making it back to Granny's, Emma sat on the porch swing as she waited for Killian to meet her.

"_What am I even doing?" _She thought to herself as the swing creaked softly under her weight. _"I barely know this guy and here I am, agreeing to basically be his fuck buddy for the summer." _She sighed and rested her head in her hands trying to pull in a few deep, calm breaths. That, of course, was when she heard masculine laughter approaching. She looked up to see Killian standing in front of the house.

"I'm not interrupting anything, am I?" He asked even though he knew he wasn't, and she wasn't about to argue. She could use a distraction from wherever her thoughts were about to take her.

"No. Come on," she said as she got up from the porch swing and walked over to the front door, holding it open so that Killian would come in behind her.

"We're going inside?" He asked as he followed her up the stairs, "Isn't Granny home?"

Emma shook her head as she led him into her bedroom. "Nope, she's at some all-night bingo club. The bed by that window is mine."

"Direct." He chuckled as he walked over to her bed and sat down on it. "I like a woman who takes charge."

Emma rolled her eyes as she walked over to him, taking off her tank top and skirt as she crossed the room. "Then you're gonna _love _me." She walked up to him and straddled his lap. "Condom?"

He stared at her for a moment before he seemed to come back to reality, "Oh, right." He dug in the pocket of his jeans and pulled out the foil square. "Here we are."

She took it from him and put it down on her nightstand as she began to roll her hips in his lap. "You know," she whispered against his lips, "I've wanted this since the moment I first saw you."

He chuckled and was about to make a no-doubt idiotic comment about lust-at-first-sight, but she cut him off when she crashed her lips into his. They kissed passionately for a few moments before she broke away to pull his shirt over his head and run her hands over the hard muscles of his chest.

"God, you're perfect," she sighed as she leaned in to kiss him again.

His hand crept up her back and he unhooked her bra, holding his breath as the black lace fell away, revealing her breasts to his hungry eyes. "Fuck," he swore under his breath as he leaned in and swiped his tongue over one nipple before taking it into his mouth and sucking insistently on it.

Emma moaned loudly as she rolled her hips into his again, making sure to grind on the growing hardness in his jeans. She pushed on his shoulders, causing him to fall back onto the bed. She then rose up onto her knees so that she could open his jeans. When she did he sighed with relief as his cock sprang forth from its confines.

She licked her lips as she stroked it firmly, bringing it to full attention before grabbing the condom and rolling it on. She was so impatient that she didn't even bother taking off her panties. She merely pulled them to the side and then positioned herself over him, making sure to look him in the eyes as she slid down onto him.

His eyes rolled back into his head when she rocked back and forth on him, and he responded to her movements, thrusting upward into her every time she stroked downward.

She moved her hands to his chest and balanced herself as she swiveled her hips deliberately, making him brush against that spot deep inside of her.

He gave one hard thrust and Emma bounced in his lap, giggling as she threw her head back. Killian then sat up and cradled her in his arms as he continued to move his hips in time with hers. "Emma, I'm almost there."

She nodded in understanding and moved her hand between them so that she could give herself the extra push she needed. In moments she was there and pulled him over the edge with her.

They both lied pressed together on her twin mattress as they tried to catch their breath. It was Killian that spoke first.

"So, when will I be seeing you again?"

* * *

It was early the next morning when Emma got out of bed to write her mother another postcard:

_Hi, Mom,_

_So, I met up with that boy again. And I know what you're gonna say – be careful, right? Well, I will. I won't get too attached because I know that when I leave Maine in August that would only make things harder. But there's nothing wrong with having a good time, right?_

_Love, Emma_


	5. Chapter 5

Heavy breathing and panting filled the room as the sound of Killian's creaking mattress bounced off of the walls.

For the past few weeks, this was where he and Emma had been meeting up – it was less risky than going to Granny's because his father was almost never at home.

Emma threw her head back into the pillows as Killian moved on top of her, hitting that spot deep inside of her as he moved his hips against hers. One of his hands reached for her thigh and he pulled it up over his side as he continued rolling his hips, delighting in the string of swears and curses that flew out of Emma's mouth.

"Oh, Killian," she sighed as she wrapped her arms around his shoulders, "don't stop."

He buried his face in her neck as he felt his climax approaching, dropping his hand down to her clit and rubbing it in furious circles to help her along. She came abruptly with a stunted cry, and he bit down on the flesh of her shoulder as his hips stuttered and he spilled himself into the condom.

After, he rolled off of her as they both stared at the ceiling, trying to catch their breath. A few minutes later, Emma sat up in the bed and began to look around the room, trying to pinpoint the location of each of her articles of clothing before getting out of the bed.

She swung her feet over the edge of the bed and quickly darted around the room, redressing under Killian's watchful gaze.

She was dressed in her panties, shorts, and bra when Killian put on a pair of jeans and walked over to where she stood, just as she was about to put on her shirt.

He wrapped her arms around her from behind, resting his chin on her shoulder as she leaned her head back against him.

"You don't have to leave right away, Emma," he whispered into the skin of her shoulder, punctuating the statement with a soft kiss to her neck. "You know that, right?"

Emma sighed heavily and turned around to face him. His arms were still holding her tightly, and she knew that it would be pointless to try and struggle away when he got like this. "I know that, Killian, but this is best. We've had this talk at least three times now. We are only friends."

He quirked an eyebrow at her and gave her a wry smile, making her laugh as she thought of a way to rephrase what she'd just said. "Oh, shut up," she shook her head as she leaned in and kissed him on the lips, smiling against his mouth as she pulled away. "We've got a good thing going here. Let's not ruin it by getting overly attached, okay?"

Killian sighed as he released his grip on her, allowing her to wiggle out of his embrace and continue getting dressed. He sat down on his bed as he watched her put on her shirt and then turn to wave goodbye to him before exiting his room and walking out of his house.

* * *

Killian was standing on the pier looking out at the waves as they crashed loudly against the sand.

He had been waiting here for Emma and was about to turn back and go home when he heard footsteps approaching. He turned his head and saw her walking towards him, an adorable smile on her face.

"Hey, there," she greeted him as she leaned in and kissed him on the lips, smiling all the while. "Why did you want to meet me here?"

Killian sighed as he tried to think of the right words to say. "Well, I figured that if we met in public it would discourage us from getting distracted by… _other _activities, if you know what I mean."

Emma rolled her eyes and smacked him playfully on the chest. "Yes, I get it. So what did you want to talk about?"

He held her hand in his as they began to walk along the pier. "About us."

She stopped walking and pulled her hand away from his. "Killian, for the millionth time: there is no us. And there won't ever be."

He sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose. "Emma, I want to keep seeing you, I do, but – lately I just feel like I'm using you for your body, and that's not okay with me."

She looked down at her feet as he spoke to her, counting the stitches in her sneakers as she felt her cheeks begin to redden. He was right. She should want more from him than his body – _maybe she did_ – but she couldn't bring herself to say the words.

"However if that's all you want," Killian brought her back to reality as he went on, nervously scratching at his ear, "you're going to have to get it from someone else. I want to actually get to know something about you other than what you look like naked."

Emma looked up at him as she giggled at the last part of his statement. "What's the matter, you not enjoying the view?"

He laughed and took her in his arms, placing a soft kiss on her forehead. "Don't change the subject. You are only here for what, another month and a half? Can't we just take that time to get to know each other a little better?"

Emma rested her head on his chest as she listened to him speak. Part of her was wanting to take this chance, but the other, more rational – _more afraid_ – part just wasn't willing to trust him.

"I'm sorry, Killian," she said quietly as she backed away from him, "I just need a little time to think things over, okay?"

He nodded and watched as she turned away and walked down the pier.


	6. Chapter 6

Killian sat alone in his bedroom as he stared at the wall opposite his bed. It had been a few days since he'd seen Emma, and he was beginning to wonder if he'd made a mistake in pressuring her to make things official.

He didn't feel like he was asking her for much, but he should have known that she would react that way. She seemed to like things the way there were – no strings attached. But he wanted, maybe even _needed, _more from her.

He wanted to be the one that she talked to about her day, the one that she came running to when she had good news, her friend, her boyfriend, not just some guy she only sought out when she wanted a quick lay.

Deciding that this train of thought wasn't going to get him anywhere, he chose to get out of bed and walk over to Granny's. It had been a while since he'd cared for her lawn and he knew that she was due for another mowing.

He didn't call any attention to himself when he got there. He simply went into the shed and pulled out the mower so he could get to work.

Emma was pulled out of her thoughts when she heard the distinct hum of the lawnmower. She went downstairs and peeked out the window by the front door to see Killian outside, pushing the mower over the grass.

She sighed as she watched him work, needing to go out and talk to him, but not wanting to make things worse. She'd done enough.

She walked over to the stairs and sat down on them as she thought about her situation with Killian. Sure, she liked him, but was that worth the imminent heartbreak when she would have to go back home to New York?

Ruby came running down the stairs, but stopped as she approached a roadblock – namely, Emma.

"Hey, dudette," Ruby greeted Emma cheerily as she sat on the step behind her, resting her elbows on her knees. "What's up?"

Emma sighed before turning her head to look at Ruby. "Can I talk to you about something?"

* * *

"Wait, you've been hooking up since the _bonfire_? Emma, that was like, a month ago!"

"Shhh!" Emma silenced Ruby as she waved her hand frantically, not wanting to alarm Granny, who was downstairs in the kitchen. She scurried across their bedroom and closed the door, so as not to take any chances. "Yes, since the bonfire. I didn't tell you because I didn't think it was a big deal. I mean, I was only out to have a good time, but now he wants more."

"So, when is your date?" Ruby asked giddily as she looked at Emma with eager eyes.

"What? Never. There's no date, Ruby." Emma sighed as she walked over and sat on the bed, scooting over when Ruby came over to join her.

"Why not?" Ruby looked at Emma with concern in her eyes, silently asking to be let in.

Sighing once again, Emma tucked her bangs behind her ear. "I am only here for around ten more weeks. What's the point in starting a relationship just to end it?"

Ruby raised one eyebrow at Emma and shook her head incredulously. "That's your only reason? Seriously?"

"Uh, yeah, and it's a good one." Emma defended herself but then knitted her brow as she took a moment to think. "Isn't it?"

Ruby smiled and nodded as she took Emma's hand. "Sure, I guess. But like you said, you have six weeks left. Why would you waste this time avoiding him? You may be missing out on something great."

Emma nodded as she stood from the bed and walked over to the door. Before she left the room she turned back around and smiled at her friend. "Thanks, Ruby. You're the best."

When she got outside, Killian was just putting the lawnmower in the shed. She waited in front of it for him to come out and when he did, she smiled shyly at him. "Hey, Killian."

"Hi," he nodded at her as he turned around to lock the shed. "How are you?"

Emma rolled her eyes at the distance in his voice. "Look, Killian, I want to tell you that I was wrong to push you away. I want to go on a date with you. It was wrong of me not to consider your feelings, and I'm sorry."

He gave her a wide grin as he looked at her and walked over to her, taking her into his arms and kissing her deeply. "Good. Because it's only been four days, and I've missed you like mad."

She giggled to herself before rising up on her tiptoes to kiss him again. She hummed against his lips as she wrapped her arms around his neck, finally feeling some inner peace after the past couple of days she'd had.

They continued to kiss each other until they were interrupted by the exaggerated sound of a throat clearing. They broke apart and both looked toward the house where Granny was staring at them, her hands on her hips.

"What fresh hell is this?" Granny asked as she looked at the pair, who had yet to separate.

Emma turned back to Killian, and they looked at each other for a moment before they both burst into fits of laughter.

* * *

Later that night, Killian returned to Granny's house and knocked on the door. He only waited for a few moments before Ruby came running up to the door to let him in.

"Hi!" She greeted him in her usual giddy manner, leaning up against the door as she looked him over. He was wearing a button-down shirt with the sleeves rolled up to his elbows and a pair of dark-washed jeans.

He felt his cheeks begin to burn as he rocked back onto his heels nervously. "How are you, Ruby? Is Emma ready yet?"

Ruby didn't answer, just cocked her head to the side as if she wanted to look at him from a different, or perhaps better, angle. "Uh-huh," she remarked absently as she continued to take inventory of the outfit he wore.

"Is something wrong, lass?" He asked, looking down at himself before looking back to her.

Ruby shook her head and gave him a reassuring smile. "No, nothing's wrong. Don't worry. You're gonna have an amazing time. Even if you had to borrow David's clothes." She burst into a fit of laughter as Killian's face turned beet red.

"Come on, Ruby. I wanted to make sure I wore the right thing." He fidgeted nervously and adjusted the collar of the shirt. "And besides, this isn't David's, it's mine."

Ruby narrowed her eyes at him and raised an eyebrow. "Killian, I know that's David's shirt."

"No, it's not!" Killian protested petulantly. "He gave it to me."

Ruby smiled at Killian and tried to stifle her laughter. "That is so adorable. Did you trade him for something? Like maybe a pair of earrings or a bracelet?"

Killian rolled his eyes at Ruby. "Ha-ha. You're a riot. Just don't tell Emma, okay?"

"Don't tell Emma what?"

They were interrupted when Emma finally came down the stairs, wearing a knee-length summer dress with her hair pulled back into a high ponytail. "Did I miss something?"

Killian had already forgotten what he and Ruby were talking about as Emma walked out of the house and stepped onto the porch. She looked more beautiful than usual, and he could see that she was even wearing makeup for the first time since they'd met.

"Emma," he breathed, "you look – absolutely stunning, love." He leaned in and kissed her gently on the cheek, smiling against her skin when it began to flush.

"Geez, I guess I ought to leave you two to your night," Ruby announced loudly as she closed the screen door. She stood behind it and quickly stuck her tongue out at Killian before closing the front door.

He chuckled and rolled his eyes as he and Emma made their way off of the porch.

"So, what are we doing tonight?" Emma asked as she took his hand in hers, lacing their fingers together.

Killian smiled at the gesture and lifted her hand to his lips, kissing the back of it as they strolled along. "Well, we have options. We could go to the beach, I could try to cook you something at my house, or we could just skip all of that and go right to bed."

With her free hand, Emma smacked him on the shoulder. "I thought the point of this was to put all of _that_ on hold, mister."

He laughed and freed his hand from her, putting his arm around her shoulders. He kissed her on the top of her head. "Yes, that last one was a test, and you passed."

She put her arm around his waist as she shook her head at him. "Oh, right. Anyway, I like option number two."

"Alright," he agreed as a broad smile crept onto his lips, "let's go."

* * *

"Okay," Killian sighed as he looked over the pantry in his kitchen, "there is a lot in here that we could make. There might also be a pizza in the freezer, if that's your thing."

"Ooh," Emma cooed delightedly, "that sounds lovely."

"Pizza it is," Killian announced as he walked over to the freezer and pulled out the box. He read its instructions before he preheated the oven and turned to find Emma seated on the island behind him.

"My, what a lovely centerpiece you'd make, my dear," he joked as he walked over to her and stood between her parted knees, letting the fingers of one hand dance over the skin of her thigh while the other rested at her side.

Emma wasn't quite sure how he did it, but as always, even this simple touch sent her heart racing. She spread her legs just a little wider so that he could stand between them. The added height from the counter had him at eye-level with her chin as she looked down at him.

His hand was still tracing idly over her skin when she brought her hands to his shoulders and massaged them briefly before trailing them up his neck to his face. She cradled it in her hands, taking a moment to admire the deep, reflective blue of his eyes before she leaned in and kissed him softly.

Killian sighed against her mouth as if some great pressure had been lifted off of him, just by being able to kiss her. He stepped in closer to her, letting his hands roam over her body. He moved his mouth away from her and dropped kisses along her jaw, neck, and collarbone, and she rolled her head back to allow him better access.

She raked her fingers through his hair as he worshipped her skin, absently grinding herself against the bulge in his jeans. He chuckled at her apparent need for him and brought one of his hands back down to her thigh, squeezing it and massaging it as his hand went higher and higher up.

Just as he reached the waistband of her panties, the oven behind them beeped, pulling them out of their little bubble and back into the present.

They looked at each other for a few moments as if they'd forgotten where they were. It was Emma who came down first.

"I think that's your cue," she chuckled as she pointed to the oven over his shoulder.

"Ah, right you are," Killian remarked as he turned around and hustled back over to the oven, slipping the pizza inside and setting the timer. "Alright then," he said as he offered Emma his hand and helped her down off of the counter, "we have twenty minutes to kill. How do you suggest we do that?"

Emma smiled at him and quirked an eyebrow upward, knowing that he already knew what was on her mind.

He smiled at her and took her in his arms, kissing her to lower her guard before hoisting her up and over his shoulder as he turned and made a beeline for the stairs.

Emma erupted in a fit of giggles as she was suddenly upside down, but granted an excellent view of Killian's ass. She squeezed it as he ran them up the stairs, and she laughed at the surprised shout that sounded from him.

When they got up the stairs, he kicked in his bedroom door and walked over to his bed and threw Emma down onto it, laughing just as much as she was.

He got onto the bed and laid down beside her, clutching his sides in an attempt to quell the ache that their laughter had caused. When he looked over at her, she was still laughing, and he could swear that he'd never seen a more beautiful sight.

"Emma," he said her name, but she was still laughing so hard that she hadn't heard him. "_Emma_," he repeated a little louder, this time grabbing her attention.

"Yeah?" she asked, smile wide as she tried to stifle her giggles.

"I'm going to kiss you now," he warned her and only waited for a second before he leaned in and made good on his promise. He pulled her closer by the waist and then trailed his hand up to her jaw, where he rested it and held her in place.

She broke the kiss and leaned her forehead against his, grinning at him like a Cheshire cat. "I'm sorry, Killian," she started, "I just – I can't stop smiling."

He laughed and kissed her again before he answered. "No worries, I rather like you this way."

They looked at each other for a few moments more before he leaned in and pressed their smiles together.

Emma hummed happily against his lips as he kissed her and pulled away so that she could sit upright and undo the buttons on his shirt. He offered no protest and helped her, starting at the bottom of the shirt and meeting her hands in the middle.

Once they'd removed his shirt, she let her eyes rove over his naked chest and her hands acted on their own accord, raking through the hair there as she moved to straddle his hips.

Killian's hands were then under her dress, lifting it off of her in one fluid motion before heading right back to the clasp on her bra, opening it and tossing the offending garment onto the floor with the rest of their clothes. She kissed him passionately as his hands palmed and kneaded her chest, drawing a strangled moan from her lips when he pinched her nipples.

He wrapped one arm around her and rolled them over so that he was poised over her. "Emma," he panted out her name as he looked into her eyes, "you are the most beautiful girl I've ever known." He smirked as the compliment caused her cheeks, neck, and chest to flush adorably.

She pulled him back down to her and kissed him, hoping that the gesture could convey all that she felt but wasn't sure how to say.

He inched down her body, making sure to pay some attention to her breasts before sliding down even lower and tugging her panties off of her. He settled between her legs and kissed her thighs, delighting in the throaty moans that left her at the touch of his lips to her sensitive skin.

He then turned his attention to the apex of her thighs and cursed under his breath before kissing her quickly on her aching bundle of nerves before taking it into his mouth and sucking it gently.

Emma moaned and rocked her hips upward into his touch, gasping for air as he slipped two fingers into her. She brought her hand down to his hair and held him in place as he worked, grinding her hips in time with his movements as she felt her orgasm begin to creep up on her.

"Killian, stop," she panted, breathing shallowly as he raised his head to look at her, his brow furrowed in confusion.

He crawled up her body and kissed her once, trailing his fingers over her jaw as he looked down at her. "What's the matter? Did I hurt you?"

She shook her head at his concern for her and smiled shyly. "No, I just… I want you. Now."

A wolfish grin came over his face as he nodded in understanding and rolled over onto his back so that he could take off his pants. Once he'd kicked them to the floor, he reached over to his nightstand for a condom and rolled it on.

He resumed his position on top of her and kissed her soundly, letting his mouth consume her wanton cry as he slipped into her.

"Oh, fuck," she sighed when his lips left hers, rolling her lips to meet his as he began to thrust in and out.

He didn't say anything, only bit his lip to keep from groaning as he rocked in and out of her tight and wet sheath. He had missed feeling this closeness with her, but this time it felt like maybe there was something else there. Not just the desire or the need. This time he _felt _something. Something that had not been present every other time that they'd been together like this. Something that he knew would only frighten her if he spoke of it aloud.

So, for now, he pushed it aside, locked it up in a back corner of his mind and tried to focus more on Emma as her cries got louder and louder.

He picked up the pace as the sound of their skin meeting echoed through the room. Emma pulled him down to her and kissed him, wrapping her arms around his shoulders so that they were pressed together from chest to hip.

She lifted her hips, which caused him to graze her clit as he thrust into her, making her walls flutter around his cock. She bit her lip to stifle a moan and buried her face in his neck. "Oh, Killian, I'm so close."

He doubled his efforts, thrusting into her just a little bit faster as her walls clenched and squeezed him. With a broken shout, he came hard, spilling himself into the condom.

He moved off of her and removed the condom, then rolled onto his side so that he could look at her. She was really something else. Even after what they'd just done, he could say that he'd never wanted her more.

She turned her head to look at him and smiled bashfully when she noticed him staring at her. "What is it?"

Killian knew that what he was about to say might not go over well, but it needed to be said. He cleared his throat and opened his mouth to speak, inwardly praying that he wouldn't scare her off. "Listen, Emma, I—"

He was cut off by a loud, shrill beeping that echoed through the entire house – _the smoke detector_.

"Shit! The pizza!" Killian shouted as he jumped out of bed and into his jeans, running out of the room and down the stairs to find the entire kitchen filled with smoke. He ran over to the oven and opened it, unleashing a cloud of thick, dark smoke as the door swung open

"Oh my god, what do we do?" Emma asked as she ran into the kitchen moments later, dressed only in the button down shirt Killian had been wearing earlier.

"Fire extinguisher!" Killian shouted to no one but himself as he dashed over to the pantry and found his solution on the floor. He ran back over to the oven and sprayed the fire extinguisher inside.

After a few moments the smoke cleared enough for them to see inside. Their pizza had been burned to an unrecognizable crisp while they were otherwise occupied.

Emma walked up and stood behind him, peeking her head around him so that she could see into the oven. "So, what now?"

Killian laughed at her comment – not because it was all that funny, but because he was glad he wasn't going to have to explain to his father how the entire kitchen burned down while he was in bed with a girl. He looked at Emma and shrugged. "Now, we improvise."

Deciding that it was probably better that they not cook anything else, Emma suggested that they make peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. They sat on stools at the island as they made a mountain of sandwiches – more than either of them could eat – and took the tray up to his room.

He set it down in the middle of his bed and she climbed onto it, sitting at the head, resting her back against the headboard, and he laid at the foot, bending his elbow to rest his head on his hand as he reached for a sandwich and looked at her. "So," he started after taking a bite, "how was this for a first date?"

Emma smiled as she reached for a sandwich and took as big a bite of it as possible. "Sorry, Killian," she tried to speak through her mouthful of food, "I'd answer you, but I don't want to be impolite."

He laughed at her playful attitude and followed her lead, stuffing his mouth full as well. "Okay," he started, already struggling to speak, "then I won't tell you what it does to me to see you wearing my shirt like that."

Emma covered her mouth to try and keep from choking as she laughed at his flirtatious rebuttal.

He crawled up the bed and kissed her chastely, making them both laugh hysterically.

"We probably look like idiots," she said as she tried to chew with her mouth at full capacity.

Killian settled in on his side as he looked up at her, finally managing to swallow all the food he'd shoved into his mouth. "If that's the case, I'm willing to bet you've never been so happy to be an idiot."

She was going to protest, but he was right – she'd never been this happy in all of her life.

* * *

Later that night after he walked her home, Emma ran up to her room and grabbed a postcard, jotting down a quick note to her mother:

_Hey Mom,_

_Remember when I told you that boy I met was trouble? I was __right__._

_Love, Emma._

* * *

**Thank you guys for reading! This story is _not_ finished, the rest should be coming later on this week! See you lot next chapter :)**


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